It has recently come to my attention that the first 3 albums by the late 70s pub/rnb combo Dire Straits albums are in fact works of under-rated genius. I used to listen to them a lot as a child and just replayed a couple the other day and bam! I was hooked. The Knopfler really did know what he was doing there. Plus, he made the correct decision to hire a truly exceptional drummer in Pick Withers. OK it tailed off drastically by around 1982 when aforementioned Pick upped sticks, but the s/t debut, Communique and Making Movies are all exceptional.

There, I said it.